Resolve row for smooth running of KCSE exams

With just over one week before the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations begin, there are great expectations by the candidates and their teachers. What they have been eagerly waiting for is just around the corner.

Of course, the parents will also be keenly monitoring to ensure that their children sit the tests that will largely determine their future. This is a critical moment when there should be no disruptions or even distractions as the candidates and their teachers need to put the finishing touches on their revision ahead of the papers.

The KCSE exams will begin on October 28, and run until November 22. There are 965,501 candidates in 10,755 centres, up from the 903,260 in 2023. Besides the candidates, their teachers are the second most important stakeholders. Hopefully, all of them have prepared well and some will qualify to go up the academic ladder by joining universities and tertiary colleges. 

Supervising exams

However, there is a looming dispute that needs to be urgently resolved to avoid poisoning the exam environment. The teachers are demanding to be paid more for supervising exams. The demand for higher examination management perks was one of the grievances by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education (Kuppet) had in its nationwide strike in August.

Uncertainty now surrounds the administration of this key national undertaking after Kuppet reiterated its demand for higher allowances for the teachers involved in exam management in a letter to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba. However, the government has yet to respond.

The union has proposed a new rate of Sh3,000 per day for invigilators, up from Sh400. It wants supervisors paid Sh3,500 instead of Sh450, and Sh4,500 for principals, who are the exam centre managers. They currently earn Sh500 per day.

It is in the interest of the candidates that this dispute over payments be resolved immediately for the smooth management of the exams.